Four Star Homes Blog

As Florida’s housing market continues to evolve in 2025, many residents are seeking affordable living options amidst high interest rates, rising property taxes, escalating home insurance premiums, soaring apartment rents, and new tariffs. One tried and true solution is purchasing a mobile home on leased land. This alternative offers a cost-effective lifestyle, especially in desirable locations like waterfront communities. The Financial Landscape in Florida

1. Apartment Rentals:

The average rent for an apartment in Florida has reached $1,955 per month, with variations depending on the city and apartment size. 

2. Single-Family Homes:

• Median Home Price: $420,000  
• Average Mortgage Payment: Approximately $2,500 per month, assuming a 20% down payment and a 6.3% interest rate.
• Property Taxes: The average annual property tax in Florida is $3,100, equating to about $258 per month.  
• Home Insurance: Premiums have surged to an average of $6,000 per year, or ...
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In 2025, with the implementation of new tariffs and rising housing costs, purchasing a mobile home on leased land in Florida emerges as a strategic financial decision. This approach offers affordability, flexibility, and resilience against economic shifts. Navigating Tariffs: Why Mobile Homes on Leased Land Make Sense The 2025 tariffs, including a 25% levy on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on goods from China and Hong Kong, have significantly increased the cost of construction materials, particularly lumber and steel. These increased costs are expected to drive up prices for new site-built homes. In contrast, manufactured homes, especially those on leased land, offer a more affordable alternative, allowing buyers to sidestep the inflated costs associated with traditional home construction. Benefits of Buying a Mobile Home on Leased Land

1. Lower Upfront Costs

Purchasing a mobile home on leased land eliminates the need to buy land, significantly ...
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The holiday season is officially here! For many, that means it's time to bring out their favorite Christmas decorations to make their home merry and bright. Decorating a manufactured or mobile home for Christmas isn't much different than for a traditional site-built home, though in some cases, homeowners will have limited floor space or other considerations to factor in. But that's okay because we have compiled 8 tips specifically for manufactured homeowners to help you deck the halls from wall to wall. Place Your Christmas Tree in a Prime Location for All to See Owners of site-built homes often place their Christmas tree near a window in the front of the house so it can be viewed from the street. However, since many mobile homes are placed perpendicularly to the street versus parallel, this isn't as good of an option. Instead, find a central location in your home so that ...
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Alison Hoover, LawnStarter Summers are hot in Florida and often result in higher energy costs from the constant use of air conditioning. Instead of turning the thermostat up to save money, choose to make your manufactured home more energy efficient to keep the indoors cool and your power bills low. 1. Upgrade Light Bulbs and Fixtures Reducing the energy use of light fixtures is the most cost-efficient way to improve the energy use in your manufactured home. While swapping out light bulbs may seem insignificant, it can have a big impact over time. Lighting makes up about 15% of a home’s energy use. LED lighting uses about 90% less energy than traditional bulbs and can last 15 times longer. While the bulbs themselves may be more expensive at the store, the long-term savings are considerable. Many modern LED bulbs even come with a remote control for a variety of warmth ...
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YouTube is a great source of information on nearly any topic you can think of. Learn DIY home maintenance, get decor inspiration, and yes, you can even shop for a home! While using the site's search bar is helpful, it's even better to find a YouTuber you like that provides good information in a clear and concise way and subscribe to their channel. Make sure you turn notifications on so that you never miss a thing! If you're new to manufactured homes or the Florida market, you'll want to make sure you subscribe to these 3 YouTube channels. 1 - Florida Manufactured Home Living Russ Watson is a definitive expert on the manufactured home market in Florida. Russ authored the book Retirement in Florida Manufactured Homes & The Land-Lease Option. He also serves as the District 4 President of the Federation of Manufactured Home Owners of Florida and is the ...
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Many prospective manufactured home buyers take one look at a community's lot rent and think it would be better to purchase land for their home instead. However, this process is anything but cheap—or simple! Four Star Homes Vero Beach sales agent Roy Manno took a deep dive into this exact subject on his YouTube channel and provided the research for this article. "If you're looking to purchase land to put a manufactured home on...that kind of project really is going to appeal to a younger audience that has very, very deep pockets and a lot of disposable cash," said Roy. He added, "This is not something I would recommend to senior citizens." (WATCH THE VIDEO HERE) Manufactured Home Purchase Whether your purchase a brand-new home directly from a manufacturer or an existing home from a seller, it will need to be transported and installed on your lot. But before you can ...
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As Central Florida's largest and most experienced mobile and manufactured home broker, we have hundreds of listings to choose from. Whether you are looking for a home in a 55+ and up senior community or need one in an adult or family park, we have something for everyone. With the housing market what it is today, we understand that many are home shopping on a budget. That's why we offer several ways to find the perfect home for you! 10 Lowest Priced Listings At Four Star Homes, we list manufactured and mobile homes in a wide variety of price ranges. On one end of the spectrum, we have Prestige Homes. But another very popular search on our website is our 10 Lowest Priced Listings. This list is a great place to start if you are considering manufactured housing and want a great bargain. It is also ideal if you don't ...
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For senior homeowners looking to make the move to Central Florida, look no further. In this article, we’ll focus on why a manufactured home with a monthly lot rent can be a great choice for retirees. If you’re a younger homebuyer wanting to move to Florida, it may be a better option to invest in real estate. However, for retirees, a manufactured home with a monthly lot rent in a senior community in Central Florida can be a more viable option. Many people claim that the prices of lot rent are not worth it. Well…let’s find out! What is a monthly lot rent? A monthly lot rent is a price you pay per month for the land that a mobile or manufactured home sits on. In this contractual rental or lease, you’re required to pay a monthly fee to have your mobile home on the lot, reside in the community, ...
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Whether you’re a first-time home buyer or a retiree looking to downsize, it can be hard to decipher which type of home will fit the best within your budget. If you’re unsure where to start, manufactured homes are a great choice as they’re typically easier to maintain and afford. If you find that a manufactured home is right for you, you’ll need to plan out what location you’d like to live in, the layout of the home, and what you can afford. Follow along for more tips on how to find a manufactured home that’s within your budget. Plan Out Your Budget It can be hard to plan out on paper what type of home works best for you, especially if you’re new to owning a home. Take time to sit down and look at your incoming finances. Examine the current monthly payments you’re responsible for and create an estimate ...
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Kristina Marshall If you're living in a manufactured or mobile home or are planning to downsize to one, your space is really valuable. How do you create a nice, comfortable interior on a small footprint? Organizing the space in your mobile home for optimal comfort and utility is your first step, and a bedroom is a good place to start. Most mobile homes have multiple bedrooms, and you can create space in each for storage and comfort. Many of these homes have more than 1000 square feet, which gives you some good space to start with. Think Vertically One of the best ways to maximize space in a mobile home bedroom is to use under-bed space. Also, consider a loft or bunk bed that allows you to use space closer to the ceiling. You should also consider mattress dimensions and the footprint of your bed in the room. Bed frame ...
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